Whirling toy



June 27, 1933. H B ROGERS 1,915,868

WHIRLING TOY Filed June 20, 1932 INVENTOR HAROLD B. ROGERS Patented June 2 7, 1933 mnonn s. nouns, or m nnwo, cun'onm a no Application fled June 20, 1982. Serial No. 818,863.

- This invention relates to a novel and interesting toy to be used to simultaneously whirl in the air, in opposite directions, a plurality of balls or other small objects. An object of the invention is to provide a novel and interesting toy of the character stated which will require skill in its operation and which will cause objects to be put in motion in such a manner as to a peel to chilm dren and to afi'ord them interestmg entertainment andhealthiul exercise ofthe muscles and perceptive faculties.

other object of the invention is to provide a toy of e scientific character which will demonstrate in e clear end strig manner the operation of the laws of gravity, motion and inertia.

A further object, in connection with other features of the invention, is to provide a toy which can be adjusted in such a manner as to chane the diameter of the diderent orbits of the ejects put in motion thereby, such adjustments being capable of being made while the toy is in operation.

Still another object is to provide a toy whereby a number of skillful feats or tricks may be performed in regard to the manner in which a plurality of balls or other small objects are made to travel in reverse directions and through difiierent orbits without clashin with each other.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which illustrates what is at present deemed to be a preierred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a view wherein is illustrated a boy holding the toy in his hand in the act of cansing the same to operate. In this view, the toy is shown equipped with two balls which are caused to revolve in opposite directions in orbits of different sizes.

Fi 2 is a view of the toy separately shown, in si e elevation, equipped with two revolving balls.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the handle member illustrating one method of attaching thereto the connection whereby the balls are suspended from the handle.

Fig. is a view of the handle member partly in section and partly in side elevation, illustratmg the suspending connections secured thereto in a difierent manner from that shown in Fig. 3. In this view means are pro vided for changing the relative lengths of the 5g suspending portion of the connections. 7

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a fragment oil the handle showing still diflerent means for securmgthe suspending connections thereto.

I g. 6 1s a new partly in section and partly w m slole elevation illustrating one of the balls on a larger scale and showing a. desirable means for securing a suspending connection thereto.

Referring in detail to the drawing the toy @5 comprises a handle member 7 which, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is provided with two suspending connections 8 and 9 the latterconnection being shorter than the former. Said connection 8 attaches a ball 10 to the m handle member and said connection 9 at taches a ball 11 thereto. These two connectlons may both be secured to the end portion of the handle member by any suitable means as by a pin 12 driven centrally into the end thereof as shown in Fig. 3.

One important feature of'the invention relat/es to the shape of that extremity of the handle member to which the connections 8 and 9 are attached. This end of the handle my member 18 of a convex character either being so shaped as to conform to the outline of a portion of a sphere or else being preferably ogival in form. The reason for thus shaping this end of the handle member will be un- 35 derstood when the operation is described in detail.

In Fig. 4 the handle member 7a is shown provided with a passage or bore 15 which extends axially therethrough from end to end thereof, this passage being of suflicient size to have both the connections 8 and 9 fed therethrough. At the extremity of that part of the handle member which is grasped by the hand the passage 15 is diametrically enlarged as shown at 16, and into this enlarged portion is loosely fitted a stopper member 17. This stopper member is provided with a finger-hold portion 18 which is separated from the shank portion of the member by means of a peripheral flange 19 which abuts against the end of the handle member, the body portion of this part 17 being of sufficient size to snugly grip the connections 8 and 9 between it and the inner surface of the bore 16. During the opera tion of the device the traction of the balls 10 and 11 upon the connections which suspend them, tends to seat the stopper member 17 more firmly in the portion of the passage through the handle which it occupies. Said connections have a portion of them wound around the finger-hold part 18, being attached thereto at 18%. In order to prevent accidental loss of the finger-hold member the same is shown connected to the handle member by means of a cord 20. This construction provides a convenient means to change the relative lengths of the suspending portions of the connections, thatis, the lengths of those portions of the connections which determine the radii of the orbital paths of the suspended balls. This may be done even while the balls are moving in their orbits.

In Fig. 5 is shown still another means for securing the cords 8 and 9 to the handle member. In this view the outer extremity of the handle member is shown provided with a diametrically reduced or spindle portion 25 whereon are mounted side by side, two small wheels or antifriction rings 26 and 27, the cords being secured to these rings in any suitable manner as by the small screws 28 and 29. At the outer extremity of the spindle portion 25, a pin or other retaining device 30 is provided to keep these rings from slipping off from the spindle during their rotation thereon.

In Fig. 6 is shown a soft rubber ball provided with a preferred means whereby the connection is fastened to the ball. The connection is shown led diametrically through the ball and secured to a clip 45 which is embedded in one side of the ball after the cord has first been led through the ball and then attached to said clip.

In the operation of the toy, while one ball is held in the left hand, the handle is held in the right hand and oscillated in a vertical manner as indicated by the arrows 40, to cause the other ball to start revolving therearound from right to left through an orbit the radius of which is defined by the suspending portion of the string to which the moving ball is attached. While the ball on this string is in motion, the ball on the other string is tossed overhand from left to right and is thus started to revolve around the handle member in the reverse direction. The speeds at which the balls revolve can be controlled by regulating the speed of the up and down motion of the handle member.

The two balls cannot be made to revolve in orbits both of which lie in the same plane,

because if this is attempted the ball on the short string will strike against the string by which the other ball is suspended from the handle; but the two balls can be made simultaneously to travel in orbits the planes of which are inclined each to the other, although the centers of the two orbits will necessarily be the same.

The convex character of that end portion of the handle member from which the ballsuspending portions of the connections extend permits the connections to swing freely in planes which are sufliciently inclined to each other to prevent the balls from clashing with each other or with the connections during the operation of the device. It is evident that, in order to secure such free swinging of the connections, the end of the handle must be convex or tapering, if the connections are attached directly thereto.

The two suspended bodies may be caused to rotate in opposite directions from a dangling state or gravitational rest. This method of rotation is obtained manually as follows:

The handle being gripped by the manipulating hand of the operator and with both bodies suspended from the end of the handle, the hand of the operator is moved vertically upwardly and downwardly and the bodies are caused to oscillate with different amplitudes. By gradually increasing the speed of the up and down movement of the handle, the bodies, after first jerking them to obtain a movement in reverse directions, are caused to widen their amplitudinal swing until they assume a planetary movement.

The bodies being suspended by cords of unequal lengths, and by virtue of the fact unequal forces are caused to bear on each of them, both by gravity and through their connection with the hand, their orbits will be in difl'erent planes with respect to the end of the handl I claim:

1. In a toy, a handle member having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough, two cords occupying said passage and having portions extending from each end thereof, said passage having a diametrically enlarged portion at one endof the handle, a stopper member insertable into said enlarged portion of said passage to grip the cords at that point, said cords being attached to and windable upon said stopper member to vary the length of their suspending portions at the other end of said handle member, and bodies attached to and suspendable by said suspending portions of the cords, the tension of said bodies upon said cords tending to seat said stopper more firmly within said passage. 1

2. In a toy, a handle member having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough, two cords occupying said passage and havbodies suspended by them tending to seat said stop er more firmly within the end portion 0? the handle which it occupies said stopper having a flange extending erearound in spaced relation to its ends and'engageable with the end of said handle member when said stopper is in place.

HAROLD B. ROGERS. 

